Josef Pitrák

The Hero Is Afraid

Honza Vavrinec (Rudolf Hrusínský) works in the investment department of a large office. One day he gets involved in the case of an unjustly convicted worker who mistakenly considers him a parliamentary deputy. Honza as a "deputy" interferes in the case and helps the worker. Encouraged by the success and possibly also out of love for the beautiful secretary Svatava (Blanka Bohdanová), the then shy and fearful Honza stands up for the chief of the department, Hofmánek (Ladislav Pesek), who has been removed from his position.

Adventures with a Naked Boy

A man boards on a tram together with a naked boy. Somebody has stolen the boy's clothes when he was out bathing, leaving him with not even change for the tram. The man has taken care of him and is taking him home. At first nobody notices them but as soon as the people realize they are seeing something out of the ordinary they begin to react to the situation. Some are content with the simple explanation as to why the boy is naked. Others are agitated, for they see the whole situation as something unseemly. An ordinary incident, which might have been passed over in silence, results in a heated argument that turns into a fight. More and more people join in the fight until the police are forced to intervene.

Story of Souls

The dramatization of the Old Prague short story by the writer Ignát Herrmann is an acting concert by Jan Pivec. In this film from 1964, the actor let all registers of his mature acting sound, from outright comical positions to tones sounding with tragic undertones. And although the character of Vavřinec Konopka clearly dominates in this story, the great actor disciplinedly left enough space for his teammates, especially Jaroslav Marvan, Dana Medřická (her poisonous Petronila is an excellent figure), the modest Libuša Havelková and the bohemian Josef Kemr and everyone else. The director František Filip was actually the conductor here, who got a beautifully coordinated orchestra of soloists at his disposal... But let's go back to the century before last. Where is the dignified and rather burly official Mr. Konopka peláší? And even runs with a jet and without a hat…

Little Bobesh

A story of a young boy called Bobesh and his funny adventures.

Where an Alibi Is Not Everything

“A bored housewife, a husband who married her for show, and a stupid boy who is full of himself because he is dating a Swiss woman.” The words of Inspector Tůma sound like they’re from a European melodrama, but in fact they come from a Czechoslovak crime story. A pair of detectives, counterfeit medicine, the high-society setting of a Karlovy Vary hotel, and Oldřich Nový as the aging hotel manager Kraus.

Prázdniny v oblacích

In the beginning, the book of Bohumil Říha was about the aircraft of Kaneti. Both the book and the film that came out of it tell about children's parties spending their holidays near the sports airport. The newly scanned airplane first assigns to aliens, then suspects them of espionage, but in the end it will explain everything. Children will even find the courage to take part in an aviation trip. According to period reviews, the film was a bad thing to teachers, as they said it was inappropriate.

The Goalkeeper Lives On Our Street

A boy dreams of winning an ice hockey game. Meanwhile, a professional hockey star moves into the neighborhood, offering his services as a goalkeeper--leading two rival teams of Prague schoolboys, The Little Lions and The Devil Street Boys, to fall over themselves in order to gain his favor. The goalie's son, basking in his father's glory, is asked to replace a member of the Lions team, prompting the usual boyish rivalries and battles. Some of the Lions players are so preoccupied with the impending "big game" that their schoolwork suffers, to the chagrin of their teachers and parents.